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Test Anxiety

Test Anxiety
So the other day, I somehow came across an article on test anxiety, and it got me thinking. I get test anxiety often. So I thought I would compile some tips on how to overcome, or at least help, test anxiety.

Now there's plenty of reasons why we get test anxiety. Some reasons may be fear of failure, not studying enough, your body releasing excess adrenaline, etc.

So how do we deal with this? Well, I'll give you some tips.

Be Prepared.
Not feeling confident in your knowledge of the subject can increase test anxiety. Don't burn yourself out studying, but try to be comfortable with the material. Also, don't try to cram the night before the test. Chances are that it will only make your test anxiety worse. Start studying early.

Sleep
Make sure you're sleeping enough. Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep. Of course, how much sleep you need will depend on you. But try to get a good night's rest the night before your test and the nights leading up to the test. Our brains process things while we sleep. So before bed try reading over the key points. Try to stay away from your phone and TV an hour before bed. Also, relax before bed. Try reading a book or mediating or whatever you like to do.

Eat
You should eat a good breakfast the day of your test. But if you're like me and get sick if you eat too soon after waking up (like if I eat within 3 hours of getting up, I feel awful the rest of the day) or if forcing yourself to eat makes you sick (also like me), instead of eating breakfast, eat a good supper the night before. Also on the topic of eating, I'm going to bring up the ever present, drink water. Our bodies need to stay hydrated. You'll feel better if you stay hydrated. Not to mention it makes your brain and other organs happy.

Think Positive
Stop thinking of everything you could have done and degrading yourself. Think of the positive. You can do this. You will make it through this test. You will try your hardest.

Show Up Early
If you can, show up to place where the test is being held early. Give yourself time to get settled. Take a few deep breaths.

Focus
Focus on the test when you get it. Don't pay attention to the people around you. It doesn't matter if someone across the room or the person sitting next to you finishes way earlier than you do. The opposite also goes. If you finished earlier than the people around you it doesn't matter. Focus on yourself.

Don't Overthink
Easier said than done, especially with me. I second guess myself all the time. Go with your gut. Rule out obviously wrong answers, and choose the best answer to the question. Pay attention to words like not and except since those questions sometimes get thrown in to trick you.

Reward Yourself
After the test, relax. Reward yourself, even before you get your results because you earned it. You tried your best and you deserve to be rewarded for that. Go out and eat your favorite meal/food. Buy a treat like ice cream. Watch a few episodes of your favorite TV show. The options are limitless.

I hope this helps. If you have a topic you would like me to touch on, send me a message and I'll see what I can do, even if it involves me having to do a little research on the topic.